Conversations
by levina-c
Summary: After the prom, Zoey and Chase take some time alone to discuss some things.
1. Discussion 1

**A/N: Hi! New writer here. This is just my idea of what happened after the end of the series. There were really a lot of small issues that were left unresolved. So this isn't fluff, just a lot of discussion between Chase and Zoey. The first scene takes place near the end of the prom. Rated K for (a bit) of kissing.**

**[EDITED AND REUPLOADED 10/29/12]**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters or settings. I'm not sure why people put disclaimers because obviously this wouldn't be posted on ****_Fanfiction_****.net if people did own them.**

**Lights, camera, action!**

* * *

The band was playing its last slow song for the night when Zoey looked through the crowd over Chase's shoulder and saw a painfully familiar face. It was James, and he was with a nice-looking girl Zoey had never seen before. He locked eyes with her across the dance floor and saw who she was dancing with. With a brief word to his date, he casually made his way toward them. Chase let go of her hands and faced the stranger with her. One look at her face and he realized that Zoey was familiar with this blond-haired pretty boy who was headed in their direction for some reason unknown to him.

Zoey and James said a friendly hello to each other, ever the casual pair, but before Zoey had a chance to awkwardly introduce her date, James said, "I'm glad you made it to the dance after all. Wouldn't want you to miss your own prom."

"Yeah. It's great to be here." She smiled briefly and he smiled back. Then he turned to her date. "So you're Chase, right? I'm James - Michael and Logan's new roommate. I moved in after you left."

"Hey. Nice to meet you." He smiled politely and reached out to shake his hand. "How did you know it was me?"

"Oh, uh, Michael and Logan have a picture of you in their dorm on the computer. It's kind of hard to make out your face in it, because your hair" - he gestured to his own head - "was, you know, all mussed up, and you were lying at the bottom of some stairs, but I can tell it's you."

Chase cursed silently and made a promise to get back at the Logan for taking that picture. Then he replied, "Well, I'm glad that you've be keeping them company. I hope they haven't driven you too crazy with their wild antics."

"Yeah, they do get up to some really weird stuff sometimes."

He turned back to the girl at Chase's side.

"So, Zoey..." he began, quietly and hesitantly. "You broke up with me because of Chase. Am I right?"

She looked down and sighed. "Well...yes. I'm sorry, James."

"No, it's okay. I understand. I want you to be happy. You are happy, right?"

"I'm happy." She twined her fingers together guiltily and then glanced at Chase.

"That's good to hear. Michael told me about you two, you know, about how long he'd been waiting to see if you guys would get together. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to my date. It was nice meeting you, Chase."

Chase nodded and smiled as calmly as he could manage. "You too."

And then James left, and the unease in the air lifted. Slightly.

.

oO[]0[]Oo

.

After that little encounter, neither of them was in the mood for dancing. They both agreed that they needed to talk, so one of them took the other's hand, and with a quick word to Lisa, who had asked them where they were going, they left the dance. No communication was required between them to choose their destination.

They sat on the stone circle around the campus's fountain and faced each other.

"Okay. Talk."

Zoey related to him the story of how she had met James, and what had happened between them in the past week.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He said very simply after she had finished, as if he was willing to believe any answer she gave him.

"I didn't want to upset you."

"Why? We agreed that we could both date other people, right?"

She looked at him as if to say, _really? _"Yeah, but are you saying that you would be _totally_ okay with me telling you about my relationship with another guy?"

"Well - " His mouth mimed words, but could not spit them out.

"Completely okay with it?"

He sighed. "No," he admitted.

"Then why are you looking at me like you stole my TekMate again and you're trying to explain?"

"Ah, it's just...that...that..."

"That what?"

"I know that if you'd dumped _me_ for some other guy who'd been in love with you since you were like, I don't know, 5 years old, I wouldn't be too happy. But I wouldn't argue. I wouldn't be able to argue. It's just not fair, you know? James seemed like a really cool guy, that's all."

"He is really cool." Zoey was silent for a moment.

"What? What is it? Tell me what you're thinking."

She opened her mouth and struggled to find words; he tilted his head at her expectantly and waited. No matter how close two people were, it would always be incredibly awkward talking about exes.

"James...he, uh..."

"Yes...?"

He continued to wait until, finally, the words poured out of her mouth in a jumble. "See, it's just that James gave me this necklace that said 'I love you' on it a few days ago and that's kind of what made me realize that I didn't feel the same way about him so I broke up with him but he told me that I could keep his necklace so I did and I still have it and I just thought you should know..."

"Whoa, whoa, wait. Hold up. You have a necklace from James that says 'I love you' on it?"

"Yes..."

"And you broke up with him right after he gave it to you?"

"Yeah..."

"Wow." He whistled quietly. "Poor guy. I almost feel sorry for him. But at the same time, I'm sort of thankful to him, you know."

"Oh yeah? And why is that?" She said teasingly.

"Because," he explained, "if he hadn't done that, you probably wouldn't be here with me right now. Maybe I should go thank the guy later."

She stared at him, disbelieving. "Thank him? You're joking, right?" She could only imagine how that conversation might go: "_Hey James, I'm your ex-girlfriend Zoey's new boyfriend. I just wanted to thank you for giving Zoey that necklace. Because, you know, it made her realize that she was in love with me, not you. So, yeah, thanks!"_

He shrugged. "Well, duh," he said, and her disbelieving stare became a disbelieving snort of laughter.

"So, anyway, do you mind?"

"Do I mind what?"

"If I keep it? The necklace?"

"Okay, I won't mind, but on one condition."

"Name it."

"If you promise to only wear it when you're also wearing mine."

"Oh, I probably won't even wear it at all - and - wait, I don't have necklace from you!"

"Well then, I guess then I'll have to get you one."

"Oh, so is this the necklace wars now?" She teased, stifling her giddiness. Then she made a promise to herself that as long as she was with Chase, she would never wear Jame's necklace. She would keep it, as a reminder, but she would never be seen wearing a necklace given to her by her ex.

"Technically, it's not a war if one side has already lost."

"Mm-hm." She rolled her eyes. Boys.

Her mind wandered. "It's made from gold," she said absentmindedly. "Eighteen carats. Or at least, that's what Quinn told me."

"Wow," he repeated, and whistled again. "I think I actually feel guilty now."

Zoey wasn't sure if he was joking or not.

"It's not your fault."

"Uh, no, _it kind of is_."

"Indirectly! Besides, you're not the one who broke up with him." Then she was silent. There was a slight smile on her face as watched him. Finally, she said, "You're a really good person, you know."

"Oh, I know." He smirked and she rolled her eyes again, still smiling. Realizing what he'd just said, he frantically added, "But - but it's nice to hear that you think the same!"

She laughed at him, and then said, "It's nice to hear my opinion counts."

"You opinion most _definitely _counts." He scratched his head. "Uh...so...why am I good person again?"

"Because, most guys wouldn't feel sorry for their girlfriend's ex, especially if she dumped the guy to get together with them."

"And most girls don't break up with their boyfriends just before senior prom, because of another guy thousands of miles across an ocean," he countered.

She laughed awkwardly.

"Yeah, about that...I think I should be the one who should feel awful. I mean, I dumped an awesome, funny, hot guy" - Chase raised an eyebrow - "for another incredible guy who's been waiting for me for four years. What kind of girl does that?"

"A very likable kind of girl."

Zoey looked slightly uncomfortable. "Well, I guess..."

"And did you just call me incredible? Wow...that's almost better than being called nice."

She smacked him playfully on the shoulder and laughed. He rubbed the spot where she'd hit him, putting on a pretend expression of hurt which only made her giggle more. Then he teased her with: "So, you think I'm incredible, do you?"

She feigned an exasperated look. "Would I be in love with you if I didn't?"

"I guess not."

There was a pause. His mouth quirked.

"You're incredible, too, you know, Zoey. And beautiful."

Suddenly the playfulness drained away from the space between them, in the same way it had before she had kissed him for the first time.

Zoey was studying Chase's eyes. In the one semester they had been apart, she had never forgotten the color of his eyes. Chase had green eyes, but sometimes the green tint was hard to see. In the few rays of golden light that pierced the darkness, they were better described as a dark gray. Zoey was so absorbed in the grey that she almost didn't see his hand reaching up.

She smiled and pressed the hand more firmly against her face. "Oh, come here," she said, and pulled him in closer.

.

* * *

**.**

**A/N:**

When I think of Chase's personality, I can't help but believe he'd be the kind of nauseatingly nice guy who would feel sorry for his girlfriend's ex. So if anyone thinks that's a stretch, let me just say that people are rarely_ less_ complex than you'd think. It's also because that's the kind of thing I can imagine myself feeling if I was in that situation. And I consider myself a sympathetic person, like Chase.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed that! :J There's quite a bit more after this.

~Vina


	2. Discussion 2

**A/N:**

**I lied. This fic is kind of fluffy.**

_**fluff (n.): A fanfic that has no plot. Only humourous or romantic nonsense.**_

**Yep. Sorta.**

**.**

* * *

.

Some time later, they were curled up on a bench near the fountain together and gazing up towards the stars. Time was ticking toward midnight, and they had places to be the next day, but at the moment, neither of them cared.

"And that's Cygnus," Chase said, pointing to a set of bright lights that formed the shape of a crooked X in the night sky. "It's supposed to be a swan."

"It doesn't look like a swan," she observed.

"That's just the thing. You have to use your imagination. Most constellations don't look anything like what they're supposed to look like. See, if these parts are the wings, and this is the tail..." With his index finger he began to trace an imaginary outline in the sky.

When he was finished, Zoey said, "It looks more like a flaming scarecrow when you draw it like that, actually."

He squinted at her. "A scarecrow?"

"A flaming one," she confirmed.

"Well, okay." He chuckled. "I'm glad you're using your imagination."

"Me too. By the way, since when have you been interested in astronomy?"

"Since I studied it in Covington with a real telescope," he replied.

"Cool. Was it fun?"

"Yeah, it was fun. I had to stay up late and then I'd fall asleep in class the next day, but it was worth it."

She smiled at him, and then remembered something suddenly. "Oh, yeah...speaking of London, I've been meaning to ask you - did you date anyone while you were in London?"

"Oh, yeah." he said nonchalantly. "I did. A sweet girl from my British History class. Annabel. I was pretty clueless in the subject, you know" - he shrugged - "because I've never taken it before. She helped me out, and we ended up liking each other, and we just took it from there."

"And...?"

"And, it was really nice for a while, but then either the novelty of dating an American guy wore off, or, she figured out that my heart wasn't really into it."

"Oh yeah? Why's that?" She glanced away. Honestly? She just wanted to hear him say it.

"Well." He sighed. "I guess it was pretty obvious that I was in love with another girl. "

"Who, me?" She teased, and he chuckled a little. "And you're mad that I didn't tell you about James?"

"I'm not mad! Like I said, it's okay." He smiled at her and she was reassured. "You know, Anna did say that whoever the girl was, she was very lucky."

"She was right about that," she agreed softly, and sat up. "Hey - that's kind of also why Mark and Quinn ended up breaking up - because Mark was cheating on her with this girl he was tutoring. And after she got together with...with..."

"Logan. I was slightly, uh, flabbergasted when I saw them together, yeah."

"Just slightly?" She snickered.

"Okay, very. They're probably the least likely couple on this campus to actually become a couple."

"I know, right? I found out about it at the same time that you did - apparently they've been keeping it a secret for who knows how long."

"Yeah. But I would too, if I was in their situation," he said. After a moment, his brow furrowed. "Hey, uh, Zoey...can I...ask you something?"

"Ask away," she said softly.

"Was that - was that _Vince_ who was with Lola at the dance? As in Vince Blake? As in, the Vince Blake who I caught cheating on a test, and then pummeled me and Michael and Logan into a bloody pulp, and then got expelled?"

Zoey breathed out. "Yep. That was him. He came back. Obviously."

"Okay. I just wanted to make sure that my eyes hadn't been playing nightmare tricks on me or something. Anyway, care to explain?"

"Well," she began carefully, "he'd been in counseling for a year, and then Dean Rivers let him back into PCA. Lola met him in a yoga class, and sort of started to like him, and...they've dating for a few months now. None of us trusted him at first -"

"No kidding," he muttered.

"-but he's really proven himself and we're all sure he's changed now. He's been good to Lola, at least." She saw the stubborn look on his face and continued gently. "Hey. It was a long time ago. I'm sure if you met him you would see that he's genuinely sorry about what he did."

He sighed. "If you say so, Zoey."

"Chase-"

"Look, it's okay. You wouldn't lie to me, would you?"

"Of course not."

He turned to her and looked into her face. "Then I believe you."

.

oO{}(){}Oo

.

Chase had one more thing to explain to his girlfriend, if only just to clear up a little spot of black on his reputation with her.

"Hey, do you remember that "Gender Defenders" contest the six of us were competing in once? And that text message I sent you by accident that I couldn't tell you about?"

"The one that you stole my TekMate for so that I couldn't read it? How could I forget? What about it? She peered at him, searching his eyes.

"Well, you see, the message said..." He breathed out slowly. "It said, 'I love you.'"

A look of understanding dawned on her face. "Ahh," she said triumphantly. "That makes a lot more sense. Oh, Chase. You were planning to tell me then, weren't you? But then why didn't you?"

"Well, I was _about_ to, but," - he threw up his hands - "we got conveniently interrupted just before I did."

Zoey rolled her eyes a little, but she was still smiling. "Our friends have some great timing," she said, an edge of sarcasm in her tone. She nudged him. "Now, that wasn't so hard to say, was it?"

"It was even easier than the first time," he acceded quietly. She beamed.

"I love you too," she said, completing their repeat of the exchange from the beginning of the semester. "But you could've just told me later, when we were alone, you know."

"I don't know," he said thoughtfully. "Maybe it wasn't the right time, or else I wouldn't have hesitated. Things happen for a reason, you know. Maybe I ran my bike into that flagpole four years ago for a good reason."

She leaned onto his shoulder. "Well, reason or not, I think it was the luckiest fall of my life."

.

oO(())Oo

.

Zoey returned his trust with some of her own.

"I'm still going to be friends with James, though. I hope you don't mind," she said.

"Why would I mind? I'm not going to be like Rebecca - I'm not going to try and tell you who you can and can't be friends with."

"So you won't get jealous if I'm close to other guys?"

"Well, I didn't say that..."

"So you will be jealous."

"Yeah," he admitted, in a very matter-of-fact manner, "unless it's Michael. But I'm human, you know." Zoey snorted. "I can't help it. We can deal with that when or if the time comes."

He tactfully decided it was time for a change of topic.

"Speaking of the future...tell me, Zoey, what are you planning to do after you leave PCA?"

She began to describe some of her dreams of working in the fashion industry, and new ideas for designs that she already had in mind. Then he unfolded the plans he had to make use of his writing talent - which, coincidentally, didn't involve drafting plays where his love was scripted to kiss his jerk of a best friend. After a long discussion about college possibilities and their planned career paths, their conversation turned to the immediate future.

"I can't wait to go to Hawaii with you for the summer."

"I know," she said dreamily. "It's going to be awesome."

"Yeah. Sun and sand and surf-"

She guffawed. "I'd like to see you surf!"

He seemed to ignore this mockery. "...and you in a bikini?" He shrugged hopefully.

"Pfft. More like a cabana girl uniform, seventy percent of the time. "

"Well, I'm just saying, it would be a nice sight," he said, and dodged the grass she threw at his head. "Hey. You can not get grass in my hair."

"I know, it gets stuck. Fuzzyhead." And with that, Chase's hair became a more literal bush, with bits of grass sticking out of it. When he lifted his hand to pluck the grass out of his hair, Zoey noticed the scrapes on his arm from the fall he took earlier. Her eyes widened.

"Chase!"

"What? What?"

"Your arm!" She grabbed his hand and tried to look more closely at his injuries, but it was too dark to make out anything.

"Oh, it's - it's nothing. I barely feel it." He winced when she touched the fresh, barely formed scabs.

She pulled him up and began to walk him in the direction of the nearest building. "You should at least get it cleaned. I'm pretty sure Quinn spilled some freaky chemical mixture on those stairs a few days ago."

"Really?" he asked curiously.

"Nope. C'mon, let's go to the nurse's office."

.

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**.**

**A/N:**

**Like I said, just sophisticated fluff.**  
**There should be at least one more part after this.**

******I found it strange how their group was seniors (or juniors?) and we never saw them talking about college or career plans. So I don't know exactly what their thoughts on that are, but they did have that conversation, which is what's important.**

**R & R please?**

**c:**

**~Vina**


	3. Goodnight

The office was empty and the lights were off, but somehow the door was unlocked.

"I can't find the light switch," Chase commented.

"It's okay. I know where the stuff we need is stored."

She rifled around in the shelves and found ointment and bandages. Following the sound of his voice, Zoey made her way to Chase and navigated his arm by touch. When she'd secured the gauze around it tightly enough, she kissed it lightly and said, "There, all better."

"It - it didn't really hurt anyway." He cracked his signature crooked half-smile. "But thanks, Zoe."

"You're welcome."

"Were you ignoring the pain the whole night?" She was accusing and playful all at once.

"It was easy." He looked at the wall. "Especially when I was dancing with you."

She snorted. "That's funny, because I distinctly remember that it was your arms that were doing most of the dancing." She took his hand. "But thanks for being so sweet."

He bobbed his head up and down, grinning. "I try, I try."

"Come on, let's go to back to our dorms. I'm tired of standing around in the dark. And I'm kind of exhausted."

Her phone started ringing in her pocket as they groped their way to the door. She let go of his hand to pull it out and opened yet another text from Lola, the fifth of the night. In her distraction she tripped over something and let out a yelp before tumbling to the floor.

"Zoey!" He bent over, found her hand, and helped her up. "You okay?"

"I think I sprained my instep or something..."

"Can you walk?"

"Yeah." She took a step and winced. "Painfully."

"Unfortunately, I don't know how to treat a sprained instep. _But,_ I can carry you back to your dorm if you want."

"Oh, It's alright, there's really no nee- "

She squeaked as he scooped her up off the floor and her likely-injured foot.

"Arms around my neck."

She complied; he made it safely out the door and into the hallway.

"Isn't it ironic, getting injured at a nurse's office?"

"Oh, be quiet and carry me."

"As you wish." Under his breath he said, "Doubly ironic when you come to the nurse's office to treat someone else."

She laughed. "Now, _don't_ fall again."

"I'll do my best."

"Good."

.

oooO{}Oooo

.

Although the lights were off in the hallways of the girls' dormitory, they could still hear a few voices, and Chase was sure he saw a couple making out in a dark corner. He tread heavily away from them before either of the two could notice. Apparently they weren't the only students still awake at this hour.

Chase opened the door with the key Zoey handed to him. The lights were also off inside the room, and Lola and Quinn seemed to be fast asleep. He started travelling the final distance to Zoey's bed.

"Well, good night, Zoe," he murmured. He kissed her softly as he laid her down onto the bed and then pulled the covers up to her shoulders.

"G'night, Chase," she murmured back, unwrapping her arms from him. "Sleep tight."

"I will."

He left. She slipped off her shoes and settled herself comfortably in her bed. It was a good thing she'd gone to prom in her day clothes, or else she would have to get up again and strip to avoid ruining her expensive semi-formal dress.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Lola and Quinn shot up in their beds and began taking turns excitedly bombarding Zoey with questions. Needless to say, it was a crack in her good mood.

"So? What happened?!"  
"What have you been doing all night?"  
"_Where_ have you been all night?"  
"Why was he_ carrying you_ in here?"

"Guys, guys, guys! It's like, one in the morning! Give a girl a break."

"But we _have to_ know!"

"Yeah, Zoey, come on. You've been out all night alone with Chase, and you haven't been answering our texts. Well," Quinn amended, "you did answer one, but it was only to tell us that you were okay."

"Zoey...?"

Zoey groaned, folding her pillow over her head."Can't this wait until morning?"

"No?"

Zoey raised an eyebrow at the two of them and stared the two girls down. Her response was clear.

"Oh, fine," Lola said defeatedly. "But as soon as you open your eyes tomorrow morning, Zoey Brooks, you're spilling everything."

"Deal. Now go to sleep."

"Okay! Night."

Zoey shut her eyes and tried to relax and ignore the pain in her foot. But it was quite a while before thoughts of the night stopped streaming through her mind and she was able to sleep. Chase's voice, everything he'd told her, his eyes, his smile, and the sensation of his lips against hers was the prime occupation in her thoughts.

And when she did fall asleep, she was still smiling.

.

oO[{}]Oo

.

Outside, Chase let out a deep breath and sunk down against the door to the girls' dorm room. He could not wipe the goofy grin off his face, and he didn't want to. He was too thrilled, too happy, and only beginning to feel the aftershock of the night's events. He'd done it. After all these years, he'd finally done it.

Almost inaudibly, he pumped a fist and whispered "_Yesss..._" to himself. Then it hit him that he was a boy, in the girl's dormitory, at night, and that he should probably get a move on.

As he walked in the dark through a foreign hallway past midnight, he thought that maybe he was the happiest guy in the world at that moment.

.

**The end?**

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* * *

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**A/N: **

**I really don't know how bad Chase's injuries were, since we only got a brief glimpse of them. It looked more like ketchup to me, anyway, and I played it up for the drama.**

**Thumbs up for cheesy endings? c}:**

**~Vina**


End file.
